02 mars 2012

Israeli military court postpones Shalabi hearing

Ma\'an -

01 March 2012

RAMALLAH -- The Ofer military court has decided to postpone the hearing of Hana Shalabi, a prisoner on hunger strike, until the judge examines secret evidence with the intelligence services on March 3.

Prisoners society lawyer Jawad Boulos said the court Israeli officials claimed that the reason for the administrative detention was because Shalabi is considered a threat to Israel’s security and safety of its people.

They also claimed that she planned military actions right after she was released.

The defense opposed the court’s decision and called it on to immediately release the detainee since she has been on hunger strike since her first day of detention. They held Israel fully responsible for her health.

A leader of Islamic Jihad, meanwhile, said the "empty stomachs" strike is uniting the Palestinian people.

Ahmad al-Mudallal said "Hana's strike, which started 14 days ago, and Khader Adnan before her for 66 days, succeeded in uniting our people with its forces, factions and institutions against the occupation's repressive policies."

He told Ma'an there was no doubt that the battle would achieve victory for the prisoners and enhance their determination against the occupation. He called the movement a "quantum leap" for internationalizing their cause.

“What she has been through is not an assault to her only; it’s in fact an assault against all Muslims all over the globe and accordingly she should be supported not only through statements," he said.

On Wednesday, the Palestinian Authority's prisoners ministry said administrative detainees in Israeli jails would boycott the prison administration's courst beginning March 1 in protest of the policy.

Detainees in Ofer, Magido and Negev prisons announced their refusal to stand in administrative detention courts because it represents the unjust of the Israeli policies against Palestinians.

They called on all Palestinian factions and human rights’ institutions to support them.

The ministry organized a meeting in al-Bireh municipality for human rights organizations and the leaders of various factions to support the prisoners' decision to boycott the courts.

The minister of prisoners, Issa Qaraqe, said that the meeting was aimed to set a strategic plan and an international campaign to end the administrative detention policy inside Israeli prisons.

Meanwhile, prisoner Ameer Makhoul, a Palestinian citizen of Israel and civil society leader in Gilboa prison, says Palestinian prisoners welcome the call for an international day of action on 17 April, Palestinian Prisoners’ Day.

He also says that Palestinian political prisoners at Gilboa held a one-day hunger strike last week for which they were punished by the prison authorities, supporters of Makhoul reported.